Quote Originally Posted by imagine View Post
Hi jim, up to 25 yrs old i did very well being a plumber and the building trade property ect, had a beutiful big victorian house,but you know it hapens to more than just me my x made sure i had nothing, except 3 daughters who i dedicated my time to bringing them up, i worked part time to fit in to be home when they left for school and when return home, i never regained what i had, it took a long time, to aquire this modest 2 bed house i have now, had one further gf took me to cleaners a little too,, no never got a private pension going, shame, i belive if im right,my goverment pension wont be released untill im 65, the thing is do i keep paying a minimum voluntry payments to keep it good while im away , my house originaly i would have sold,but for brenda tell me not to, and the advise not to here too, i will rent it , brenda doesnt need any money from me , though id insist, at worst the rent will be almost fully available and accumalate for emergencies flights to and from phil ect,

retire yes this is my intention by living in phil i can do this, iv been off work ill for over a year now i dont want to return to the struggle,
I think you will miss the old 65 rule, you might be borderline, I was expecting 65 but they changed the rules recently

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Pensions...ion/DG_4017919

from 2018 they increase the age to 66 it applies if you were born between 6 April 1953 and 5 April 1960.

I can well understand that you never got round to getting a pension under the circumstances. Me I have a little saved but it's not going to be enough to retire on early, lost my business and home the other year so I can sympathise a lot :(